Cantelupe Pre-School Playgroup
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Ilkeston for children from birth to 5, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2022. Open since 1992, with 30 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Derbyshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Derbyshire from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
DE7 5HYWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 6 July 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive at the setting and quickly choose what they want to play with from the various activities on offer. They part from their parents easily as they have secure attachments with the kind and caring staff. Children soon become fully engaged in their play. They mix sand, soil and water in the mud kitchen and use a variety of equipment for significant periods of time. Children are well behaved and polite. They remember to use their manners as they choose milk or water for snack and spread butter on crackers. Staff remind children of the rules and boundaries, so that they know what is expected of them. Children are respectful and tolerant of each other as they share resources in the role-play area. Older children take turns to use the obstacle course.
Staff know the children well, they can talk about their current learning as well as their interests and care needs. They plan interesting activities both inside and outdoors, that children enjoy exploring. Staff encourage children's curiosity to extend their thinking. Children find spiders and use books and magnifying glasses to find out more about them.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- improve staff skills in how to implement the curriculum to ensure all children are supported to learn as much as they can n review the organisation of larger group activities for the older children, to ensure that all children remain fully engaged and interested in their learning.
- 6 July 2022Good
- 22 September 2021Needs improvement
- 16 October 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Cantelupe Pre-School Playgroup
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.